Muscle for Hire?

Just speculation on my part but do you feel Russell Branyan might return to Cleveland? It seems like he could be a useful short-term DH with some of our more powerful left-handed bats on the DL.

Last year he hit 10 home runs and .263/.328/.819 in 52 games with Cleveland before going on to hit 15 more home runs with Seattle.

about 1 year ago mjschaefer 10 comments 0 recs |

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I doubt it. I remember hearing a comment that he wasn’t exactly well-liked in the clubhouse. Though I suppose if Grady doesn’t come back soon and if Buck has to go on the DL, it’s possible.

by TribeJay on May 21, 2011 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

A sixth time returning to the Tribe would be unprecedented. We need more RH hitters anyways I would think.

by talonk on May 21, 2011 12:43 PM EDT reply actions

So whattya think it would take to put Thome back in a Tribe uni?

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on May 21, 2011 1:48 PM EDT reply actions

It’d take Thome discovering the ability to play first base and the Twins to give up on 2011.

Plus, once Hafner is back, it’s hard to have two guys who can’t play a position on the roster. And that’s before Nick Johnson comes into the discussion.

by xrickx on May 21, 2011 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

The Twins should be giving up soon. They’re already 12.5 games back and have the worse run differential in baseball (by far).

by Buckeye Brad on May 21, 2011 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

The Twins have inflated their payroll and are in the second year of a new ballpark to fill. They can’t be seen to visibly give up right now.

"I’ll happily embrace elevated hopes if that is the price to pay." - APV

On Twitter at @grantgw - sports and Cleveland and Columbus stuff

by woodsmeister on May 21, 2011 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

See I was figurin’ on having Pronk out for the month of June and probably the better part of August. Thome could DH then. My guess is that there would nol be a noticable drop off.

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on May 21, 2011 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Thome proved last year that he can still hit. A decline for somebody his age can be sudden, especially if health isn’t on his side. But if he’s healthy, I think he can still mash. The problem is where to put him once Hafner returns.

by xrickx on May 22, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

On the DL of course.

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on May 22, 2011 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Before the team goes out and looks for more offense, I think Sizemore and Hafner would have to pretty clearly become only part time players and Duncan and Buck would have to show they aren’t capable of providing consistent offense.

The average runs scored for a Central division winner over the last five years has been 807 runs (about the same as the median over the same time period), or 4.98 runs/game. So far this season, the Indians have scored at a rate of 5.1818 runs/game and, even though offense is down around the league so far this season (anecdotally, because I’m lazy and didn’t figure it out myself), you would still be justified in thinking that our FO wouldn’t like seeing much offensive drop off from the current pace.

Even so, we have Duncan and Buck as internal candidates to provide that offensive make-up. And, Choo and Santana too (in a sense). Unless one of those guys goes down too, I’d guess the team is sticking with what we have before taking on a trade from a white-flag team. If there were to be another injury, though, my bet would change.

by MTF on May 23, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions